DIY for Homeowners

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Steph has been adding to her home automation collection ever since purchasing her house in 2013. I just got my first smart device this summer. I’m a little slower, maybe even reluctant, to add automation to my way of doing things mainly due to lack of knowledge about what is available and what exactly I need. ​

In this post we are going to share our experience with home automation and help answer some questions you may have about what is it and why you might need to consider some smart devices/ products for your home.

Home automation is nothing more than taking standard items in your home and replacing them with “smart” devices you then control and manage through a smart phone, tablet, smart watch, etc. A quick Google search will show you lot of stuff that can be automated in your home--everything from lights, to the thermostat, and even the front door lock of your home. ​

For example, at my house, I wanted new lights above my kitchen cabinets. I wisely had an electrician install an outlet up there, but no switch. Installing smart lights up there was the perfect solution as I didn’t have a switch to turn them off and on. With the downloaded app, I’m able to change the color, dim or brighten, set them to automatically go off and on, and even set them to go off when I leave the house. With smart lights and the app on my phone, I have the security of never having to come into a dark house at night. ​

Home automation is not a “one size fits all”--you need to research and determine what your needs/wants are and then do additional research on the products that are available. Get recommendations from friends, read Amazon or other reviews (not just the good reviews, find out what people don’t like about a certain device), download the app to see if it is user friendly and appears that the manufacturer is committed to continually updating and improving the app features.

These devices are not cheap so you want to make an informed decision before purchasing to be certain you are getting a quality product that is easy to use. Some smart devices can save you money in the long run like a thermostat or LED smart bulbs, but others just make life more convenient like an app controlled garage door you can open remotely to let someone in your house to water your plants or feed your cat. ​

We will be doing a series of videos digging deeper into smart devices for your home. If you have questions or a product you would like us to look into- let us know in the comments below!

Please note: We are not sponsored by any of the companies/products that we used. These products were picked and bought by us.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!a